Chrysanthemum named &#39; White Elite Reagan&#39;

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘White Elite Reagan’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with white ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

RELATED CULTIVARS

[0001] ‘White Elite Reagan’ is related to ‘White Reagan’ (U.S.Plant Pat.No. 8744)) and to the co-pending applications of ‘Cream Elite Reagan’and ‘Sunny Elite Reagan’. The cultivar ‘White Elite Reagan’ is a naturalmutant of ‘White Reagan’. The co-pending ‘Cream Elite Reagan’ and ‘SunnyElite Reagan’ are natural mutants from ‘White Elite Reagan’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] ‘White Elite Reagan’ is a product of a breeding and selectionprogram that had the objective of finding mutants of ‘White Reagan’. Thenew plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivarof chrysanthemum plant that is a natural occuring sport of a parentchrysanthemum named ‘White Reagan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8744). Acomparison with Parent chrysanthemum ‘White Reagan’ is also made in thisapplication. The new cultivar was discovered as a whole plant mutationin September 1995 by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment(greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland. The first act of asexualreproduction of ‘White Elite Reagan’ was accomplished when vegetativecuttings were taken from the initial selection in November 1995 inRijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention is a new and distinct variety ofchrysanthemum bearing medium sized blooms with white ray-florets andyellow-green disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The present invention of a new and distinct variety ofchrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being asnearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

[0006]FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

[0007]FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanicalclassification dendranthema grandiflora. The observations andmeasurements were gathered from plants grown in April/May in agreenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in a photo-periodic controlled cropunder conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhousetemperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C.and at night 20° C. After a long day period of 14 days thephoto-periodic response time in this crop was 49 days. After the longday period to flowering growth retardants were applied 2 to 3 times inan average dose of 2.5 gram/liter water. No tests were done on diseaseor insect resistance or susceptibility. This new variety produces mediumsized blooms with white ray-florets and yellow-green disc-floretsblooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum hasbeen found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughoutsuccessive propagations however the phenotype may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature.To show the phenotype as described ‘White Elite Reagan’ can be plantedwithout assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week50 and week 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland.With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted yearround under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

[0009] From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existingcultivar in comparison to ‘White Elite Reagan’ is ‘White Reagan’ and‘White Reagan Mundo’. When ‘White Reagan’ and ‘White Elite Reagan’ arebeing compared the following differences and similarities are noticed:The differences of ‘hite Reagan’ and ‘White Elite Reagan’ are: (1)Flower color. The flower of ‘White Elite Reagan’ is more pure white. (2)Color of the buds. The color of the buds of ‘White Elite Reagan’ is alsomore pure white. (3) Color of the disc flowers. The disc of ‘White EliteReagan’ is greener. (4) The flower disc of ‘White Elite Reagan’ issmaller. (5) Flower size. The flower of ‘White Elite Reagan’ is a littlesmaller. (6) Flower shape. The ray-florets of ‘White Elite Reagan’ aremore pointed and are more upright (7) the growth rate. The growth of‘White Elite Reagan’ is more vigorous. (8) Response time. The responsetime of ‘White Elite Reagan’ is several days shorter. For thesecharacteristics ‘White Elite Reagan’ has been selected out of ‘WhiteReagan’. All other characteristics of ‘White Reagan’ and ‘White EliteReagan’ are very similar.

[0010] ‘White Reagan Mundo’ has the same flower shape as ‘White EliteReagan’. The flower disc however is not so small. The growth is lessvigorous instead of more vigorous. The spray formation is morespreading, with a bigger angle of the peduncles with the stem instead ofmore upright for ‘White Elite Reagan’ and the most essential difference:‘White Elite Reagan’ does not have a low temperature tolerance as ‘WhiteReagan Mundo’.

[0011] The following is a description of the plant and characteristicsthat distinguish ‘White Elite Reagan’ as a new and distinct variety.

[0012] The color designations are taken from the plant itself.Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and thecolors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances.The color chart used in this description is: The Royal HorticulturalSociety color chart, edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘White Elite Reagan’

[0013] Bud

[0014]Size.—Medium, cross-section +/−1.0 cm height +/−0.8 cm

[0015]Outside color.—White 155 A

[0016]Involucral bracts.—2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm

[0017]Involucral bracts among disc-florets.—Not present

[0018]Involucral bracts color.—Green 138 B

[0019] Bloom

[0020]Type.—Single

[0021]Height.—Flat

[0022]Size.—Medium

[0023]Fully expanded.—6.0-7.0 cm

[0024]Number of blooms per single stem.—Average of 11 to 13

[0025]Seeds.—Not produced

[0026]Performance (blooming period).—26-28 days

[0027]Fragrance.—Typical chrysanthemum

[0028] Color

[0029]Center of the flower (disc-florets).—Immature yellow-green 144 A,mature yellow-green 144 A in the center to yellow 3 A along the border

[0030]Color of upper surface of the majority of the ray-florets.—White155 D

[0031]Color of the lower surface of the majority of theray-florets.—White 155 D

[0032]Tonality from distance.—A spray mum with white flowers and ayellow-green disc

[0033]Discoloration to color.—No discoloration

[0034] Ray florets

[0035]Texture.—Upper and under side smooth

[0036]Number.—22-24

[0037]Cross-section.—Flat, sometimes convex

[0038]Longitudinal axis of majority.—Straight, sometimes reflexing

[0039]Length of corolla tube.—Very short to short

[0040]Ray-floret length.—3.5 cm

[0041]Ray-floret width 1.2 cm

[0042]Ratio length/width.—Low to medium

[0043]Shape of tip.—Pointed

[0044] Disc florets

[0045]Disc diameter.—Medium to small, 1.0-1.2 cm

[0046]Distribution of disc florets.—Numerous, clearly visible at allstages of flowering

[0047]Type.—Tubular

[0048]Color.—Yellow-green 144 A

[0049]Receptacle shape.—Conical raised

[0050] Reproductive Organs

[0051]Stamen (present in disc florets only).—Yellow-green, thin 3 mm inlength

[0052]Stamen color.—Yellow-green 150 B

[0053]Pollen.—Appears at a very late stage of flowering,

[0054]Pollen color.—Close to yellow 12 A

[0055]Styles (present in both ray and disc florets).—Green, thin

[0056]Style color.—Green 143 B

[0057]Style length.—4 mm

[0058]Stigmas.—Yellow-green

[0059]Stigma width.—1 mm

[0060]Ovaries.—Enclosed in calyx.

[0061] Plant

[0062]Form.—A spray mum meant for erect culture.

[0063]Growth habit.—Upright.

[0064]Growth rate.—Vigorous.

[0065]Height.—105-130 cm

[0066]Internodes 3-3.5 cm

[0067]Spray formation.—Corymbiform (funnel-shaped, with a little roundto flat umbel on top)

[0068]Peduncle length.—Near the top 14 cm, near the middle 21 cm, nearthe bottom 26 cm.

[0069]Peduncle color.—Green 138 B.

[0070]Peduncle, attachment.—Good, not brittle.

[0071]Peduncle, angle with stem.—Small, 30°.

[0072]Stem color.—Green 144 A.

[0073]Stem strength.—Medium.

[0074]Stem brittleness.—Absent.

[0075]Stem anthocyanin coloration.—Absent.

[0076]Flowering response(photo-periodic controlled crop, not naturalseason).—49 days.

[0077] Foliage

[0078]Color.—Upper side green 137 A Under side green 147 B.

[0079]Size.—Medium; length +/−12 cm, width +/−8 cm.

[0080]Quantity (number per stem).—22-28.

[0081]Shape.—Ovate.

[0082]Texture upper side.—Scabrous.

[0083]Texture under side.—Slightly pubescent.

[0084]Venation arrangement.—Pinnate.

[0085]Shape of the margin.—Lobed.

[0086]Shape of base of sinus between lateral lobes.—Round.

[0087]Margin of sinus between lateral lobes.—Converging.

[0088]Shape of base.—Truncate.

[0089]Apex.—Mucronate TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison Varieties‘White Elite ‘White ‘White Reagan Reagan’ Reagan’ Mundo’ Color of thebuds White 155 A Yellow 4 D Yellow 4 D Flower disc size 1.0-1.2 cm 1.5cm 1.3-1.5 cm Growth rate Vigorous Medium Medium Plant height 105-130 cm100-125 cm 100-115 Peduncle angle with 30° 30-35° 40° the stem Requiredminimum 17° C. 17° C. 14° C. night temperature

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant asdescribed and illustrated.